


The Talk

by ihaventsleptyetits4amoops (themechanicsnightmare)



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Alternative Title: Nikolaos' mistakes and the sons who were hurt by them, Because sometimes you just gotta get a little tipsy and tell your dad he's an idiot, I'm tagging the relationship even tho Stentor is Sir Not Appearing In This Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 04:34:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26347177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themechanicsnightmare/pseuds/ihaventsleptyetits4amoops
Summary: It's definitely the wine's fault. Alexios may think these thoughts sober, but the wine is what makes him say them out loud.
Relationships: Alexios & Nikolaos (Assassin's Creed), Alexios & Stentor (Assassin's Creed)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	The Talk

**Author's Note:**

> I know the wiki says that Stentor is older. I don't care. He exudes so much Middle Child Energy that I refuse to believe Alexios is younger. He may only be a couple of months older, but he's still older.
> 
> It's a dumb hill to die on, but it's the one I've chosen.

It's definitely the wine's fault. Well, almost definitely the wine's fault. These thoughts have been boiling under Alexios's skin for a while now, some far longer than others. He's let go of most of what happened on Mount Taygetos, or at least he thinks so. Sometimes it creeps up on him when he least expects it. But all the things that have happened since will not be put aside so easily.

For all that his relationship with Stentor is a work in progress, he is still his little brother. That comes with certain _responsibilities_ as far as Alexios is concerned. His little brother was hurt, badly, by their _pater's_ mistakes and, while he cannot fix it, he can make Nikolaos _very_ aware of this fact.

So perhaps Alexios has had these thoughts while sober. But it is definitely the wine which makes him say them.

"I told you to rethink your life," he says quietly. "And you chose to abandon your son." They sit in the dark, house silent around them. "You already failed two of us so badly and, what, decide to just go ahead and fail the third as well?"

Nikolaos's face darkens instantly, mouth opening to spit a retort, but Alexios isn't finished. 

"Was it out of a sense of fairness, pater? Or was it just a habit by then?"

"I kept an eye on him!" Nikolaos protests.

"He thought you died," Alexios counters, "And it tore him up enough that he tried to kill me over it!" He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm not holding it against him," he adds, and leaves _I'm holding it against you instead_ to be heavily implied. He likes Stentor, at least most of the time.

"I did my duty -" 

"To Sparta, yes, Pater, you've said." Alexios sighs heavily. "And your duty to Sparta will always be more important than your duty as a father." It wasn't a sentiment that Alexios agreed with, but it was undeniably true. Sparta would always come first to his father. Alexios had made his peace with it, for all he disapproved.

They sit quietly for a moment as his words settle in.

"Stentor would forgive you anything," Alexios tells his father, then smiles, just this side of dangerous. "I won't."

He's on thin ice with Kassandra too, Alexios knows. She may no longer be Deimos, demigod and weapon of the Cult, but that hasn't made her any more inclined to be forgiving. Nikolaos lives because he's family, and she's trying that out as a concept. Alexios has no doubt that if he screws up again, she will murder him regardless of what their Mater has to say about it. 

He isn't sure he'd blame her for it.

His Pater nods, grave and serious. They both go back to their drinks, and the conversation is over. For now, at least. 


End file.
